The journal of alternative and complementary medicine : research on paradigm, practice, and policy
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J Altern Complement Med · Oct 2003
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialPsycho-endocrine-immune response to mindfulness-based stress reduction in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus: a quasiexperimental study.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured, 8-week, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on perceived stress, mood, endocrine function, immunity, and functional health outcomes in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ⋯ These results provide tentative evidence that MBSR may assist in improving immunity in individuals infected with HIV.
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J Altern Complement Med · Oct 2003
An exploration of clinical teaching using a reflective method with adult students.
This paper explores aspects of clinical teaching in an acupuncture clinic in a university. The intentions of the study were to unearth the personal knowledge that underpins my teaching practice by revealing and illuminating the dissonance between espoused theories of adult education and theories-in-use. In a teaching clinic the complex interactions between the patient, the student and the teacher demand a flexible mix of being simultaneously patient-centered and student-centered, as well as teacher-centered.
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J Altern Complement Med · Apr 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialSafety and efficacy of a traditional herbal medicine (Throat Coat) in symptomatic temporary relief of pain in patients with acute pharyngitis: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.
To investigate the safety and efficacy of Throat Coat) (Traditional Medicinals,) Sebastopol, CA), a traditional demulcent herbal tea, in comparison with a placebo tea in the symptomatic treatment of acute pharyngitis. ⋯ Compared to placebo, intensity of throat pain when swallowing was significantly reduced by Throat Coat in intention to treat and valid for efficacy analysis (VEA). Significant differences in change from baseline pain were observed at 5 min (p = 0.007), 10 min (p = 0.005), 15 minutes (p = 0.01), 20 minutes (p = 0.05), and 30 minutes (p = 0.04) after completion of the first dose (VEA analysis). There was a statistically significant improvement of SPID in the Throat Coat-treated group: Least square means +/- standard error of the means (SEM) of SPID were -16.5 +/- 13.9 in the placebo group and -43.8 +/- 11.9 in the Throat Coat-treated group (p = 0.012). TOTPAR was also significantly higher in the Throat Coat-treated group: Least square means +/- SEM of TOTPAR were 32.4 +/- 12.8 in the placebo group and 53.6 +/- 10.9 in the Throat Coat-treated group (p = 0.031). This study shows that Throat Coat is significantly superior to placebo and provided a rapid, temporary relief of sore throat pain in patients with pharyngitis.
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J Altern Complement Med · Dec 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAcupuncture and bronchial asthma: a long-term randomized study of the effects of real versus sham acupuncture compared to controls in patients with bronchial asthma.
Acupuncture has traditionally been used in China in the treatment of bronchial asthma and is being increasingly applied in Western countries. Although there are many published studies on acupuncture and asthma, few meet the scientific criteria necessary to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture. ⋯ In view of the fact that the effects after real and sham acupuncture compared to controls who had no needling at all were small, in all likelihood clinically irrelevant, our data do not seem to support the use of acupuncture in the management of pharmacologically well-treated patients with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma.